we will try to harmonise
Geralt and Eskel only meant to act as moral support for a friend. They end up literally acting as moral support for a stranger instead but nobody's complaining, especially not when all three find they work together perfectly...
A/N: why yes, the title is adjusted from not yet / love run because i am unoriginal™
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Why they let themselves be dragged out again is a mystery.
That mystery happens to be called Aiden.
Both Geralt and Eskel are almost certain that they could just leave and Lambert wouldn’t even notice but they’re not going to go back on their word to stay in case something goes wrong. Which it won’t because Lambert might be reluctant to admit it but both he and Aiden are practically together at this point, but still.
"It’s my turn to get us drinks I guess," Geralt sighs.
Eskel wants to protest that he'd rather not be left alone but the bartender had given him a weird look earlier so it works for him to stay as far away from their judgement as possible. He turns his attention back to his phone, barely unlocking it before someone drapes an arm around his shoulder. Someone who definitely isn't his boyfriend.
His fists automatically curl with the intention of punching whoever it is but then he hears them frantically whisper in his ear: "Please please please play along, my ex won't leave me alone."
Ah, screw it, he can't refuse that.
"You've been gone a while!" he says rather loudly, hoping the stranger understands.
He does. A quiet sigh of relief later, the stranger slots into the seat beside him. "Sorry, dear, the queue was really long."
Eskel finally looks up, almost forgetting how to inhale when he meets the gaze of possibly the most blue eyes he's ever seen. If it weren’t for the obvious panic brewing in them, he might otherwise have commented on how striking they are.
“Hope you didn’t miss me too much,” the stranger says loudly, clearly not for his benefit.
“Just the usual amount,” Eskel replies, honestly just wondering why the other man had picked him to trick his ex with; it’s not like there aren’t a fair few people sitting by themselves in the bar.
The blue-eyed stranger is silent for a moment but then curses under his breath. "He isn't buying it, I'm going to die."
Not on his watch.
Praying that Geralt won't be mad at him later, Eskel slips his arm around the stranger's waist. "Do you trust me?" he whispers softly.
When the man nods, Eskel tugs him closer, so close that they’re almost entirely pressed together, wrapping his other arm around him too. There's a moment of confusion before the man laughs, leaning forwards as if to kiss him when he shifts to get more comfortable.
"Thank you," he murmurs softly.
"Eskel?"
Oh, for the love of-
"I think you miscounted, darling," the stranger replies to Geralt before Eskel can say anything.
"You're drunk enough, I think,” Eskel interjects, nodding to Geralt who, to his credit, doesn't miss even half a beat before grinning.
"Exactly, and we didn't come here just to drag you home again," he says, placing the drinks down before turning back to them. To both the stranger's and Eskel’s shock, he plants a small kiss on both of their cheeks. Gods, Eskel loves him so much for being able to analyse the situation properly and play along.
A moment later, the stranger sighs in relief, slumping in Eskel’s arms. "He's gone, I literally cannot thank you enough."
Geralt raises an eyebrow. "You could get off my boyfriend for starters."
The blue-eyed stranger jumps, almost falling over in his haste to clamber off. "I'm so sorry, I don't mean to be a homewrecker. Well, that could depend on who you ask but I definitely didn't this time. I just needed a handsome stranger to- wait, that doesn't help my case, does it? Oh blast, I'm just going to go now…"
Eskel and Geralt share a very brief look before Eskel clears his throat pointedly. "Shouldn't you stay? What if your ex circles back to see you gone?"
Blue eyes widen as they glance between the two of them. "Are you sure? I don't want to intrude… I mean, I wouldn't exactly be complaining per se but I feel bad enough as it is and I’d hate to cause any kind of-"
"You’re rambling again" Eskel interrupts.
"That's me," the stranger agrees, "Jaskier who never shuts up."
Geralt doesn't know if he likes Jaskier because the man is just likeable or because Eskel seems to like him but either way, he finds himself sliding a drink across the table. “We’re pretty good listeners.”
Jaskier bites his lip for all of thirty seconds before nodding. “Okay. Okay. Um, and you don’t… mind?”
Eskel definitely doesn’t mind and judging by the way Geralt hasn’t glared him into leaving yet or given any indication that he’s against this change of plans, it’s safe to assume he doesn’t mind either.
“Not at all,” Eskel assures him.
The grateful smile Jaskier gives them in reply is worth far more than the trouble of needing to buy another drink. Which Geralt does with only the slightest reluctance at having to get up and interact with someone again.
“Thank you again, honestly. I’m sorry, I swear I’m usually better at first introductions and all,” Jaskier says as soon as Geralt’s back.
“Mhm, I’m Geralt.”
Eskel laughs at the look of confusion on Jaskier’s face. “It’s okay, this is him being polite.”
Jaskier visibly relaxes. “Right. Tall, dark, and handsome, I totally get that. It’s a very attractive vibe and I think you pull it off spectacularly.”
Surprisingly, Geralt promptly decides to ruin that vibe by blushing. Eskel’s eyes widen at that, turning to Jaskier in amazement. “Not bad for an introduction.”
“I think you have me beat there, you were literally a blessed knight in, uh, casual armour.” Jaskier grins.
Geralt’s turn to laugh at the redness on Eskel’s face this time. “And that makes you the damsel?” he asks Jaskier, raising an eyebrow.
Jaskier almost chokes on the gulp he was taking, spluttering for a second before pointing an offended index finger at Geralt. “Excuse me, I may have been in distress but I am not a damsel. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to lose a tail, you know.”
“Yeah, your ex seems great,” Eskel teases as if he’s not actually very concerned.
Shrugging, Jaskier takes a proper sip of his drink. “Valdo’s not a terrible person, he was just a terrible choice for me.”
“Is he going to continue being a problem?” Geralt asks, clearly just as concerned as Eskel.
“Probably not,” Jaskier says with a smirk, “he wouldn’t dare to confront two modern day knights who look like they belong in a modelling studio.”
Both of them scoff at that since Jaskier himself looks like he was practically born to be in front of a camera, but neither of them want to get into an argument with him about it so they just let it slide.
“Uh, speaking of belonging…” Jaskier trails off as soon as the words leave his mouth and for a moment, it looks like he’s about to stop functioning altogether, but then he sighs heavily and offers them both a smile. “Is this”- he gestures to the space between them- “just a temporary performance for Valdo’s sake or it there a chance for something more long term here?”
Eskel looks over to Geralt, both of them silently confirming that they’re in agreement before Eskel turns back to Jaskier with a smile as soft as he can manage. “We’re okay with seeing where things go.”
“As long as you buy the drinks next time,” Geralt adds.
Jaskier beams, his eyes practically glowing with relief even in the bar’s questionably dim lighting, and both of them know they’re not letting go of him any time soon. The only downside to the situation is that they’re going to have to actually thank Lambert for dragging them out this time.
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please excuse any ooc mess,, i'm tired™ and didn't think the logistics through, just wanted to post this instead of it gathering dust in my docs :p
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thanks for reading! masterlist | witcher blog: @itsjaskier